Best Spots for a Surprise Marriage Proposal in the Twin Cities

If you are planning to propose in the Twin Cities, finding the perfect spot might be challenging. So I came up with a list of good locations for your proposal, for a spring to fall season. Winter proposals in Minnesota would require some different qualities.

This guide is for spot only. There are more than just the location to take in mind, here is a deeper guide to help you for your marriage proposal!

What Makes a Good Proposal Spot for Photography?

To make it simple, a good location for a surprise marriage proposal has 4 elements:

• A background that works in photos (nature, cityscape, open view, nice building). That usually means a dramatic background far away.
• A disposition with the sun mostly behind the subjects in the photo (so east-west orientation) for a morning or late afternoon proposal, so both partners are well lit.
• A location offering enough intimacy at the time when most people want to propose, at the end of the day with the sunset light. That’s important for your own experience, and also, from a more pragmatic point of view: as your photographer, I want to be sure there won’t be someone else between you and my lens. Because oops, I would have missed the shot.
• Enough material nearby to do a photo session with your beloved (yes, you might want more than just one shot if you are hiring a photographer).

The False Good Ideas and Why to Avoid Them

If you do research you might find these photography spots, which might be great for engagement photos, but are probably not the best for a proposal. So let’s go through the list and eliminate them so you have no regrets.

Stone Arch Bridge in the afternoon

It’s the most iconic place in Minneapolis. That said, at 4:30 pm in summer, it might be too crowded, and you risk being hidden by other people. But since I’m being nice, I’m offering two alternatives just down from the bridge with a view of the bridge that could work. Not a lot of people: Mill Ruins Park and Father Hennepin Bluff Park.

The Top of the Foshay Tower

Great for the experience (nice view, a touch of museum), but too hazy up there to take good photos, not to mention the grillage. I understand the romantic setting reminiscent of the top of the Eiffel Tower, but calm down, it’s just the Foshay Tower.

The Guthrie Theater

It has a famous cantilevered terrace… but I think the view is not amazing for photos (lighting direction is not optimal on a sunny day). On a rainy day, the interior is really dark. So, to avoid.

Minnehaha Falls

Located about 10 minutes south of Minneapolis, it’s a hugely photogenic park, but very crowded around the falls. Some people wait and take turns to stand next to the falls for their selfie. If you want privacy, this is probably not the right spot. The upper part of the park has some quieter areas, but “only” with nature and trees.

Loring Park

A busy park located on the southern periphery of downtown, with lots of trees, flowers, and a small lake. It could work for a close-up proposal, but won’t easily work with a nice dramatic view (which is what we want). It could work early in the morning.

The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

A spacious park with tree areas, lawn, and an open view of the Basilica of Saint Mary. It’s also next to the Walker Art Center and its modern design. It’s very popular during prom season. It could work for a proposal, but the park is also pretty busy, so not a lot of intimacy. If you really want this place, then I would suggest early morning, or eventually a week day.

Good Spots in Minneapolis for a Proposal

The Rock on NE Main Street

A simple and literally great spot is a rock along NE Main Street (not far from the Stone Arch Bridge) with a view of the Minneapolis cityscape. It’s located just in front of the Aster Café.

Note that there is no much place just at the bottom of the rock and it would be quite delicate to be unnoticed for the photographer. That said, a random photographer could be there pretending to do something else.

Boom Island Park

Located on the west side of the city’s downtown, along the Mississippi River, it has a nice view of Minneapolis. Though, with the sun position, we would probably not use this view for the proposal pictures, but afterward, for the couple session, yes. It also has an old railroad trestle that we might use for a photo if you’re not afraid of heights.

The Lyndale Rose Garden

Located south of downtown (5-10 minutes), it’s a very nice park with a big fountain, between two lakes (which can also be used for photos).

Gold Medal Park

Located just behind the Guthrie Theater. It has a hill you can climb, and offers a nice view of the city and modern buildings (such as the Theater itself). Plus it’s located next to the river and the stone arch Bridge that we can also include.

The MIA (Minneapolis Institute of Art)

The Greek-style façade with its columns and stairs is gorgeous, and it reminds me of grand British buildings. Located 2 minutes south of the city, it’s next to Washburn Fair Oaks Park, a simple hilly park with oaks. A lively place, but never busy.

The American Swedish Institute

Located 5 minutes south of Minneapolis. A beautiful historic mansion to use as the backdrop for your photos. The exterior is usually not busy. The museum gardens offer a few different spots for a short photo session.

Notable Building Facades in Minneapolis

A simple proposal can also take place in front of a nice façade. Here are a few buildings that would work:

• Minneapolis City Hall: pink granite, green roof, a very photogenic old building.
• The Minneapolis Passport Agency (Greek-style building with tall columns), the previous United States Federal Office Building.

Covered Locations in Minneapolis for a Proposal

There aren’t many options for rainy or cloudy days, but here are a couple:

Sheraton Minneapolis Downtown Convention Center

Previously the Millennium Hotel. They have a special ceremony room at the top of the hotel. You can probably rent it for one hour if you want to propose, which might be convenient if you’re staying at this hotel.

The Marquette Hotel / IDS Center Atrium

At the ground level, there is a kind of atrium, very modern, with trees and a fountain. Not amazing in low light, but it could work.

Great Locations for Marriage Proposal in Saint Paul

Saint Paul is only about 15 minutes by car from Minneapolis, so you could also consider one of its spots.

Como Park (and Zoo)

Located in Saint Paul, about 20 minutes driving from Minneapolis. The Como Conservatory (the big greenhouse) is quite photogenic as a background. The park itself is one of the best spots for couple photos with a lot of different backgrounds (pine trees, flowers, bridge, lake). Note that they also offer the option to privatize some indoor locations, but it would be after 6 pm in summer, which is too late for you.
Technically, photography is not allowed inside without permit. But I guess that if you propose there, and a random photographer just happened to be present to immortalize the moment, there’s not much they would do…(the young couple proposal above is actually exactly what happened).

Irvine Park

A very intimate and secluded park with a large fountain (similar to the one in the Rose Garden). This is excellent for privacy. And it summer it’s gorgeous!

The Minnesota State Capitol

A government building that looks like an Italian basilica. Right in front of it is a large plaza that is usually pretty quiet.

Harriet Island Regional Park

Located on the south side of the river, it offers a nice view of the Saint Paul cityscape, the river, and a few old riverboats. It has lots of tall trees. It’s relatively lively but rarely crowded.

Saint Paul Indian Mounds (Indian Mounds Regional Park)

A simple park located northeast of Saint Paul, it offers a great view of the city. It runs alongside a road, but there’s almost no traffic and it’s a very quiet place.

Notable Buildings and Covered Locations in Saint Paul

• Union Depot: A previous train station, quite gorgeous (photography inside requires a permit). Open until 10 pm.
• Landmark Center (similar architecture to Minneapolis City Hall): pink granite, green roof, amazing. Photography is permitted inside. Beautiful interior. Closes at 4 pm during summer.
• Saint Paul Public Library, George Latimer Central Library. Located just in front of the Landmark Center: another large white Italian-inspired building. Closes at 5:30.
• The Science Museum of Minnesota: A modern building. The façade is not very dramatic, but the interior is quite bright with lots of windows, which makes it a great candidate on a rainy day, especially if you like the idea of a science museum (giant dinosaurs).

What about those locations?

Rooftops

I love rooftops for photos. With an open view of the cityscape, they give a feeling of big-city living (NYC style). The Twin Cities being largely an office city, rooftops are usually always empty on weekends.
On weekdays, they start to empty around 3-4 pm… so no guarantees. And of course, on an event day, they would be busy around the event.
And if a rooftop does not seams romantic, you can easily have a complice setup a few petal and a bottle of champagne just before you arrive.

What about the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is one of the best places to propose (check a proposal here). It’s located in Chaska, about a half-hour drive, making it not ideal if you have a restaurant reservation right after. The famous spots (Japanese Garden, tulip area, near the Snyder Building) can be very crowded on weekends. So I would suggest some areas further in, such as the Willow Tree area, Tashjian Bee and Pollinator Discovery Center, etc.
Note: the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum requires an entrance fee/permit for professional photography.
My tip: the arboretum has plenty of wedding ceremony sites, pick one you like and aim for a weekday.

State and Regional Parks

Most state and regional parks would work great for a proposal. They offer nice open views, a quiet environment, and they are usually just a short drive from the Twin Cities. The one above is the Grey Cloud Dunes Scientific and Natural Area.
Let’s think to the famous Taylor Falls State Park, place of numerous proposal.

That’s all for the spots. I’m probably missing some. And there are other spots and buildings that can work great for unique photos, depending on your special wishes, your story, and your vision. If so, we can find some strategy to make it work.

Bridges

Bridges, with their symmetry, work like a frame within a frame, or to put it more simply, they work great in photos. Thanks to the Mississippi River, there are a bunch of bridges you can use. Often, big bridges like the one on Hennepin Avenue or the Wabasha Street Bridge also have an under-the-bridge location that you can use. It usually doesn’t smell like roses, but it’s dramatic, photogenic, and pretty isolated, sometimes right next to a busy area. That being said, bridges work great for one photo but won’t offer enough material for a long session.

Conclusion:

There are a lot of options to create the perfect proposal in the Twin Cities. If you want great photos of this moment, you need perfect coordination with your photographer. And the bravest ones, who feel the pull of adventure, can also dare a 4-hour drive to the famous Minnesota North Shore, with pictures taken at the Black Beach in Silver Bay, or at the top of a cliff with a view of Lake Superior.